Police alert over stolen goods on eBay

AN alert over fraud on internet auction sites used by millions was issued today.

The Consumers' Association has revealed the full extent of fraud occurring online - especially on eBay. The Metropolitan Police is also investigating a series of stolen goods being sold on the site.

Sarah Kidner, of Which? Computing magazine, said: 'We estimate there are 200 fraudulent auctions every day on eBay in Britain, and that figure will only get higher as more and more people use the site.'

According to Miss Kidner, consumers being scammed online are also finding it increasingly difficult to recover their money.

She said: 'One of the biggest problems is that eBay will only reimburse users for £105. If you're buying a car for several thousand pounds, you're really taking a big risk and could lose an awful lot of money.'

However, this has not stopped a raft of celebrities, including Cherie Blair, from using the site. The Prime Minister's wife has bought everything from shoes to toys for her children on eBay.

Miss Kidner claims that if you do want to buy online, commonsense is the key. She said: 'We would recommend people always try to get the seller to deliver the goods in person.'

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Sale stats 20m items are available on eBay 3.5m are added every day Every 20 seconds an item of women's clothing is sold eBay's motoring site is the fastest-growing area, with a car sold every four minutes. _______________________________

Gareth Griffiths of eBay said: 'We have a 0.1% fraud rate but of course it happens. eBay is actually a very bad place to sell stolen goods because it is so transparent and the police monitor us for stolen items.'

A Met spokeswoman said: 'We would urge anyone using an internet auction site to always choose to pay for their goods upon delivery, rather than sending cash in advance.'

Jim Angel, of the Federation Against Copyright Theft, claimed eBay contained thousands of pirate DVDs, adding: 'We are working closely with eBay to tackle the problem, but it is very difficult.

'As soon as we shut down one seller they just re-register on eBay under a different name and start selling again.'

The British Museum also claims items stolen from archaeological digs around the country are being sold via eBay.

Roger Bland, its director of the Portable Antiquities Scheme, said: 'Britain is faced with the problem of the clandestine theft of archaeological treasures by metal detectorists.

'Our fear is that eBay is providing a conduit for thieves, allowing them to off-load antiquities.'

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THE SCAMS

Multiple accountsBy using dozens of accounts and changing them constantly, criminals can evade eBay fraud spotters. They can also split a batch of goods and sell them individually, each appearing to be from a different seller

Selling fake goods Goods look legitimate in photos but without examining them in person it is often impossible to spot a fake. Sellers may also place a picture of a real item on eBay, but send a fake.

Identity theftUsers are sent a 'phishing' email telling them to re-enter their password, which is then sent to hackers. By logging on with your ID, criminals can buy or sell stolen goods easily.

Pyramid schemesThese scams direct people to a site where they need to purchase an item to be added to a 'waiting list' for an iPod. The lists rely on hundreds signing up before any iPods need to be sent out, making it highly unlikely you will receive one.